Puritans, Nuns and Love: Reflections on L. M. Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman
Despite their artistic and generational differences, Louisa May Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman subscribe to the new, revivalist evangelical, understanding of marital love in their critique of the Puritan view of love and marriage. In A Marble Woman (1865) and Work: A Story of Experience (1873),...
Saved in:
| Main Author: | |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
European Association for American Studies
2022-10-01
|
| Series: | European Journal of American Studies |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/18648 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1841558253732888576 |
|---|---|
| author | Aušra Paulauskienė |
| author_facet | Aušra Paulauskienė |
| author_sort | Aušra Paulauskienė |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Despite their artistic and generational differences, Louisa May Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman subscribe to the new, revivalist evangelical, understanding of marital love in their critique of the Puritan view of love and marriage. In A Marble Woman (1865) and Work: A Story of Experience (1873), Alcott defines love as an involuntary attraction and sees it as the only reason for marriage. In Pembroke (1894) and the early short fiction, her younger New England compatriot, Freeman, echoes the idea that it is better to remain a metaphorical nun than marry for any other reason but mystical love. In an absence of a God-given mate, female protagonists transform their love to compassionate care. On the other hand, in the texts of both writers, most male characters battle the vestiges of Puritan will before succumbing to the unguarded expression of romantic love, usually in dramatic conversion-like transformations. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-634d0d03c7a44f19b402494fedfa9e85 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1991-9336 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2022-10-01 |
| publisher | European Association for American Studies |
| record_format | Article |
| series | European Journal of American Studies |
| spelling | doaj-art-634d0d03c7a44f19b402494fedfa9e852025-01-06T09:08:29ZengEuropean Association for American StudiesEuropean Journal of American Studies1991-93362022-10-0117310.4000/ejas.18648Puritans, Nuns and Love: Reflections on L. M. Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins FreemanAušra PaulauskienėDespite their artistic and generational differences, Louisa May Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman subscribe to the new, revivalist evangelical, understanding of marital love in their critique of the Puritan view of love and marriage. In A Marble Woman (1865) and Work: A Story of Experience (1873), Alcott defines love as an involuntary attraction and sees it as the only reason for marriage. In Pembroke (1894) and the early short fiction, her younger New England compatriot, Freeman, echoes the idea that it is better to remain a metaphorical nun than marry for any other reason but mystical love. In an absence of a God-given mate, female protagonists transform their love to compassionate care. On the other hand, in the texts of both writers, most male characters battle the vestiges of Puritan will before succumbing to the unguarded expression of romantic love, usually in dramatic conversion-like transformations.https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/18648sentimentalismPuritan willCatholic nunsmarital love in mid-nineteenth century |
| spellingShingle | Aušra Paulauskienė Puritans, Nuns and Love: Reflections on L. M. Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman European Journal of American Studies sentimentalism Puritan will Catholic nuns marital love in mid-nineteenth century |
| title | Puritans, Nuns and Love: Reflections on L. M. Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman |
| title_full | Puritans, Nuns and Love: Reflections on L. M. Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman |
| title_fullStr | Puritans, Nuns and Love: Reflections on L. M. Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman |
| title_full_unstemmed | Puritans, Nuns and Love: Reflections on L. M. Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman |
| title_short | Puritans, Nuns and Love: Reflections on L. M. Alcott and Mary E. Wilkins Freeman |
| title_sort | puritans nuns and love reflections on l m alcott and mary e wilkins freeman |
| topic | sentimentalism Puritan will Catholic nuns marital love in mid-nineteenth century |
| url | https://journals.openedition.org/ejas/18648 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ausrapaulauskiene puritansnunsandlovereflectionsonlmalcottandmaryewilkinsfreeman |